FS: Replacing Tears

Flat Sujata is a little girl who, like Flat Stanley, is as thin as a piece of paper because she got flattened by a box of mangoes. Flat Sujata moved to Mukti Mission where she loves her new life and all the friends she has made. These stories will help you understand what life is like for children at the Mission – children about the same age as YOU! We hope that you enjoy these stories of Flat Sujata and her friends so that you can pray for them every day. *Note: These stories are inspired by real-life stories from Mukti Mission.

“Gather around, girls,” called Auntie Rao, their housemother.

The Frangipani girls came running to see what the excitement was all about. Fifteen girls live in the Frangipani Flower Family at Mukti Mission. Flat Sujata and her best friend, Sami were two of the girls.

“What is going on?” Sami wanted to know. Auntie Rao was standing with her arm around a girl the others had never seen before.

“This is Abhaya*,” Auntie Rao stated. “She is your new sister. I hope you will welcome her.” The girls all crowded around Abhaya and peppered her with questions. Abhaya was shy, she didn’t know any of these people. She cowered behind Auntie Rao.

“Okay girls. That’s enough,” laughed Auntie Rao lightly. “Welcome Abhaya, don’t frighten her.”

“How did she come to Mukti?” Flat Sujata inquired.

“Her mother died and her father tried hard to hold everything together,” began Auntie Rao. “But because he had to keep working, he needed to find good care for his daughter.”

“My grandma took me in when that happened to me,” said one of Abhaya’s new sisters. Abhaya looked at her and felt someone might understand her pain.

“Yes,” Auntie Rao responded, “Abhaya’s Grandma moved in with them too.”

“She loves me a lot,” mumbled Abhaya softly. “But, she is growing older, and it is difficult for her to care for me.”

“Your Father loves you Abhaya and wants you to have good care in a safe place and have opportunities for a bright future. That is why he brought you to us,” Auntie Rao soothed the new sister.

“Through the help of a kind neighbor, Father was introduced to the Mission. The Mission is a big place where people want to help poor children and people who are suffering. “I know,” Abhaya agreed. “As soon as Father entered the gates, he declared that he sensed peace and joy in his heart that he hadn’t experienced since… since, my mother died,” Abhaya’s voiced trailed off.

“That is hard for all of us too,” Flat Sujata encouraged Abhaya. “But we’ll help you adjust.”

Three days later, Flat Sujata was looking for Abhaya. “Where did she go?”

“Abhaya is sad,” Sami confided. “She went to see the Mission Director.”

“How do you know that?”

“Auntie Rao told me.”

“What happened to her? Was she in trouble?”

“No, Flat Sujata. You can go see the Mission Director even if you’re not in trouble.”

“Oh.”

“Auntie Rao said Abhaya told the Director, ‘I don’t want to be here! Take me to my daddy! I hate school!‘”

“Now she’s in trouble,” Flat Sujata noted.

“I don’t think so,” Sami replied. “She is hurting and has a lot of heartache over her life’s circumstances.”

“I guess so.”

“Auntie Rao told me the Director hugged Abhaya, and they talked for a long time.”

That evening, the girls were sitting around their home talking. Abhaya was there too: no smile, no brightness, just a confused, dull expression. Her new sisters tried to cheer her up but nothing was working.

Then the Mission Director stepped into their home. All of the girls sat up straighter. The Director had come to see Abhaya. Seeing her so sullen, she sat by her and asked what she could do for Abhaya. The girls all sat quietly waiting to see what would happen.

“I’d like you to visit me at school like the other children’s mothers do sometimes.”

“I can do that,” assured the Director to Abhaya.

Two days later, true to her word, the Director visited the school when it was time for recess. The moment Abhaya saw her, she beamed with delight and right away began to introduce her to her friends with whom she was eating lunch. The Director felt so very happy to see Abhaya’s frowns become smiles! 

The sisters in Frangipani worked hard to keep Abhaya smiling. After those first difficult weeks, Abhaya settled in her new home and opened up to those around her.

“Abhaya has such big, sparkly eyes,” Sami noted one day.

“She does,” agreed Flat Sujata. “They now seem to be full of endless happiness.”

“Yes, not like before.”

“She even seems to like school,” Flat Sujata mused.

“Not like you,” laughed her best friend Sami. “Plus, Abhaya’s tears and forlorn face have been replaced by big, bright smiles that shine.”

*Names changed for privacy and security. Images representative